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Apple Keyboard Cleaning

rogersmj

rogersmj

macrumors 68020
Original poster
Sep 10, 2006
2,169
36
Indianapolis, IN
Was cleaning cat fur and dust out of my :apple: Bluetooth keyboard today and thought this made a cool shot...kinda dumb, but I like it. :eek: Taken with my 5.5 year old 2.1 MP Canon Digital Elph. Yeah, I need a new camera.



It got me thinking...wouldn't a keyboard built into the desk be kind of cool? In a 1960s sci-fi movie retro sort of way?
 
rogersmj

rogersmj

macrumors 68020
Original poster
Sep 10, 2006
2,169
36
Indianapolis, IN
EricNau said:
Is it hard to remove the keys?

I've been meaning to do that for awhile now, but I'm afraid I'll break it. :eek:


Nice Picture BTW. :)
Click to expand...

Not hard at all.

iPhil said:
What did you use to pop the keys off without marring the plastic ??


I need to clean my :apple: boards bad :eek: :eek:
Click to expand...

My finger. They popped off quite easily. I started with the right Control key and just worked my way across and then up. You just have to be gentle with the space, shift, dlete, return, enter, and numpad 0 keys because they have little metal bars that help them spring back up. It's not bad at all though.
 
xfiftyfour

xfiftyfour

macrumors 68030
Apr 14, 2006
2,573
0
Clemson, SC
mrogers said:
My finger. They popped off quite easily. I started with the right Control key and just worked my way across and then up. You just have to be gentle with the space, shift, dlete, return, enter, and numpad 0 keys because they have little metal bars that help them spring back up. It's not bad at all though.
Click to expand...

I do this about once a month, as well. Not hard at all. I just pop 'em off with my finger and am sure to keep 'em in order. The first time I did it, I swapped my "a" and "s" keys - boy that had me confused for a bit! :p

As far as actual "technique" goes for those of you afraid you're going to destroy your keyboards: I just grab from underneath a corner and pop up. They come off pretty easily!
 
xfiftyfour

xfiftyfour

macrumors 68030
Apr 14, 2006
2,573
0
Clemson, SC
hayduke said:
:eek: :eek: :eek:

Whoa. Who are you? Vincent from Gattaca? ;)

I wipe the ol' keyboard down from time to time, but I've never fully disassembled.
Click to expand...

Yeah, I dare ya to pop a few keys and look inside that sucker.

I bought this keyboard used, and did a thorough cleaning for what I thought would just be that once. But after seeing inside, I feel icky after about a month without cleaning it.

Now if only I could find a way to clean inside my MBP... :p

edit: GREAT movie, btw. :)
 
iBookG4user

iBookG4user

macrumors 604
Jun 27, 2006
6,595
2
Seattle, WA
xfiftyfour said:
Yeah, I dare ya to pop a few keys and look inside that sucker.

I bought this keyboard used, and did a thorough cleaning for what I thought would just be that once. But after seeing inside, I feel icky after about a month without cleaning it.

Now if only I could find a way to clean inside my MBP... :p

edit: GREAT movie, btw. :)
Click to expand...
I usually get out a card of some sort (thin cards are better) and slide it in between the keys and it gets out some of the gunk. Then I sometimes use a can of compressed air, if I have one handy, to clean out some more of the gunk. And then repeat sliding card in between keys. I just got an iSkin so it shouldn't be a problem anymore.
 
devilot

devilot

Moderator emeritus
May 1, 2005
15,584
1
I did disassemble and carefully clean my :apple: keyboard once before. It isn't difficult to pop the keys off, but I swear, some of the keys get a little stuck now. :eek:
iBookG4user said:
I just got an iSkin so it should be a problem anymore.
Click to expand...
I'm so tempted to buy a new keyboard and an iSkin and just use that and hopefully that would keep the sucker clean. :p
 
R

rijiMacDij

macrumors regular
Apr 12, 2004
162
0
Slightly North of Antarctica (ozone-layer free zon
Take care!

I have done it several times but I have busted two keys! For the inexperienced, the keys have little plastic tabs with barbs on them. I broke the tabs off without doing anything weird, it was like those two keys were somehow weaker than all the other ones.

So I'd recommend having a spare old keyboard lying around from which you can loot the odd key if required. I found out Apple don't sell individual keys the AU$99.00 way!
 
xfiftyfour

xfiftyfour

macrumors 68030
Apr 14, 2006
2,573
0
Clemson, SC
rijiMacDij said:
I have done it several times but I have busted two keys! For the inexperienced, the keys have little plastic tabs with barbs on them. I broke the tabs off without doing anything weird, it was like those two keys were somehow weaker than all the other ones.

So I'd recommend having a spare old keyboard lying around from which you can loot the odd key if required. I found out Apple don't sell individual keys the AU$99.00 way!
Click to expand...

I really have no idea how you could have busted any of the keys. Also, for the ones with the metal bars, it's really no big deal if you accidentally pull the key and separate the two - you just clip it back on (there are two grooved slots that the metal bar fits into.. just press it back in!).
 
R

rijiMacDij

macrumors regular
Apr 12, 2004
162
0
Slightly North of Antarctica (ozone-layer free zon
Oh Yeah!

xfiftyfour said:
I really have no idea how you could have busted any of the keys. Also, for the ones with the metal bars, it's really no big deal if you accidentally pull the key and separate the two - you just clip it back on (there are two grooved slots that the metal bar fits into.. just press it back in!).
Click to expand...

Hmmmm, I'm just the clumsy type!:eek:

No, really, most came off, no worries, but just a couple just, like, broke!
 
iJawn108

iJawn108

macrumors 65816
Apr 15, 2006
1,198
0
I completely took appart my wireless mightymouse and cleaned the roller ball(its not that hard... after 5 hours of trying to slowly work the glue off the seals). I almost took pics of the process for you all to see, but i got too impatient. Might I say wow @ the difference, my right click is even working now for some reason :/

Nice pics I might pic one of those up myself.
 
Z

zflauaus

macrumors 65816
Nov 19, 2004
1,166
3
I just disassembled, did a quick wipe down with a Q-Tip and compressed air, reassembled, and I must say I am absolutely disgusted with myself. That has to be worse than doing surgery.:eek:
 
M

macguysoft

macrumors member
Jan 9, 2007
66
0
Does anyone know if this can be done on the Macbook Pro. I recall having accidently taken a key out of my older Powerbook but was it really meant for that? I'm afraid to do such a thing to a more delicate and probably more expensive keyboard.

Thanks for sharing this since i used to own that type of computer. Good to know :D
 
I

iMacZealot

macrumors 68020
Mar 11, 2005
2,237
3
I initally liked the Apple Keyboard when I switched, but it gets so dirty. I hate it when the keys turn grey. And, for some reason, scratches are on the bottom of the keyboard.

I really liked the Pro Keyboards better. They have a much cleaner, more functional design to them. I liked the space above the function keys, as they provided a space to place a pen.

I also liked how in Mac OS 9, you could assign a function key to open a certain application or file. I wish they brought it back in OS X like they did with colored folders. The Pro Keyboard is much better for that because the function keys are grouped and you could easily cut out the sticky edge of a Post-it and put it on that ever-so-functional space above the function keys to remind you which key did what.
 
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